1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, an image playback apparatus, an image playback method, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there are digital still cameras that enable recording and playback of moving images, in addition to recording and playback of still images. In this type of digital still cameras, both still image files and moving image files are recorded on a recording medium such as a memory card, and these individual files are handled as fragments, making it difficult for the user to grasp a continuous captured image at preview. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-197414 (and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 7,145,601) describes a digital still camera that makes it possible to select a still image file or a moving image file and play back the selected file alone.
In digital still cameras that enable recording and playback of moving images, operations with respect to a moving image file are performed on a file-by-file basis. That is, for example, when a moving image file is played back, the playback stops upon reaching the end of the moving file, and in the case of a fast forward/rewind operation as well, the operation stops upon reaching the end or beginning of the moving image file. Thus, moving image recordings are repeated frequently, and even when a plurality of continuous moving image files are present on a recording medium, the individual moving image files can be played back only as fragments at preview, making it difficult for the user to grasp a continuous captured image.